CINCINNATI -- In one of the most dispiriting offensive performances of Oakland's season, the A's floundered time and again with men in scoring position Tuesday, only avoiding a shutout on a two-out, ninth-inning homer by Derek Norris in a 3-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

"It was frustrating, absolutely frustrating," first baseman Brandon Moss said. "We came in here leaving the Coliseum, knowing this is a great place to hit, and then we didn't hit."

The A's also didn't hit at the Coliseum on Sunday, getting shut out by Texas 4-0. The A's had gone 18 2/3 innings without getting a run across the plate before Norris' eighth homer averted the first back-to-back shutouts of the season for Oakland.

But Great American Ball Park is one of the best hitters' venues in the major leagues. What does it say when the A's come in and get five hits, leave eight on base while going 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position?

"It means it's time to move on," Moss said. "That's the beauty of this sport. Tomorrow is another day, another chance to win. Another beauty of it is that it's just August. We have plenty of time to get out of this funk."

The Rangers sliced another game off Oakland's lead in the West and now the A's advantage is one game.

Manager Bob Melvin's postgame words didn't indicate any roiling frustration on his part, certainly not enough to call a team meeting. But that doesn't mean there aren't changes in the works. The Reds are following Tuesday's starter, Mat Latos (11-3), by throwing another right-hander, Homer Bailey (6-10).

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"We're one game under .500 in the second half," Melvin said of the A's, 8-9 since the All-Star break. "I don't know that it calls for a team meeting. But we could see some different guys in there."

One of those is Norris, who homered on a 3-2 pitch off lefty closer Aroldis Chapman with two outs in the ninth Tuesday. Another could be lefty Seth Smith even though he's had his struggles at the plate lately.

The A's put men in scoring position with one out in four innings. Eric Sogard doubled down the right field line with one out in the first. Coco Crisp tripled in the third, also with one out. The fifth inning saw Stephen Vogt open with a single and with one out, the A's had men on second and third thanks to an error.

The results were four routine pop flies, four tame grounders and two inconsequential walks, all of which added up to no runs.

"When we've got a guy on third base and less than two out, we've got to do a better job," said third baseman Josh Donaldson, one of the few A's not to have an at-bat with a man at either second or third. "It's not just tonight. It's the last two weeks.

Oakland Athletics' Derek Norris is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013, in Cincinnati. The Reds won 3-1. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Al Behrman
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"We know we're not playing very well right now. But we'll get it going. And when it happens, we'll go on a nice little run."

For the A's, in the midst of a pennant race, they will have to score runs to go on a run. With Oakland trying to fend off fast-closing Texas, it can't happen soon enough.

The big news for the A's on Monday was that there was no news -- Bartolo Colon wasn't named in the Biogenesis probe and, having served his suspension last year, won't have to serve one in double jeopardy this time around. "I'm glad I was right about that one," Melvin said. "It would have been quite a loss for us." Colon, who pitches in Wednesday's series finale, has a 14-3 record and 2.50 ERA, which leaves him tied for second in baseball in wins and ranked third in the American League in ERA.

Sogard's double in the first extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games during which he is averaging .356. It was his 19th double after having just six doubles over bits of the past three seasons with the A's.

Melvin suggested that a day off may be in the cards at some point for Donaldson, but with the A's in the middle of three days off in an eight-game span, the day off will probably wait until the homestand which begins Tuesday as the Astros come to town. The manager is feeling more comfortable with Alberto Callaspo in the fold, because for the first time this season, Oakland has a player Melvin knows can play third. Callaspo was the Angels' third baseman before the A's picked him up to play mostly second base.

MLB Network is televising Wednesday's game, which starts at 9:35 a.m. in the Bay Area.